Collapsible suitcase



C. A. FETTERS.

COLLAPSIBLE SUITCASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21, 1921.

1,387,597 Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR.

KZZZIJQMW ATTORNEY.

C. A. FETTERS.

COLLAPSIBLE SUITCASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 21. 1921.

1,387,597. 7 PatentedAug. 16, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2- IN VEN TOR.

A TTORNE Y.

C. A. FETTERS.

COLLAPSIBLE SUITCASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.21. 1921.

1,387,597, Patented Aug,- 16, 1921-.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- INVEVTOR.

ATTORNEY.

C. A. FETTERS.

COLLAPSIBLE SUITCASE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-21,1921.

Patented Aug. 16, 1921.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COLLAPSIBLE SUITCASE.

Application filed January 21, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that CHARLES A. Fn'rrnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at lVashington, in the District of Columbia, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Suitcases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

The invention relates to collapsible suit cases, and has for its object to provide a device of this character, particularly adapted for tourists and automobilists and so constructed that the same may be rolled into a compact package for storage purposes in an automobile, or when in suitcase form suspended from the robe rail of the automobile or from the rear bow of the hood above the rear seat of the automobile, thereby being out of the way of occupants of the automobile.

A further object is to provide a collapsible suit case formed from pliable material, preferably leather or imitation leather, and comprising a sheet of material having a portion forming the back sions at the ends of the back section. forming sides in which the movable stiffening boards may be placed, said sides being provided with extensions which are pliable and which overlie the upper ends of extensions carried by the ends of the sides for preventing entrance of dust. Also to provide elon gated sections adjacent the longitudinal edges of the back section and provided with pockets having stiffening boards therein, which sections form the top and bottom of the suit case, said sections being provided with elongated pliable sections adapted to be overlapped for forming the front of the suitcase, said sections being held in set up position by snaps and by straps extending around the suitcase, which straps also form means when the case is rolled into a compact package for holding said package in rolled condition.

A further object is to provide the side members adjacent their outer edges with extensible pliable members, which members are adapted to have snapped thereto the ends of the overlapping portions forming the front of the case, thereby excluding dust from the case and allowing the case to be over-packed to a certain extent.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in the combination and Specification of Letters Patent.

of the suit case, exten-'- Patented Aug. 16.1921. Serial I0. 438,890.

arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown in the drawings, described and claimed, 1t being claimed without departing from the spirit of the inventio In the drawings F igure 1 isa perspective view of the case showing the same supported from the robe ra1l on the back of an automobile seat.

1g. is a perspective view of the case showing the same supported from the bow of the automobile top above the rear seat of Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the suitcase, showing the same in open position and looking at the same from the outside.

Flg. 5 1s a detail perspective view of a, portion of one end of the case, showing the pliable extension member carried by one'of the stiffened ends and to which pliable memher the overlapped sections forming the front of the case snap.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of one of the ends of one of the members forming the end of the case, showing one of the boards partially removed from the same.

Flg. 7 is a detail view partially in section and in perspective, illustrating one step in the folding operation.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view taken on line 88, of F ig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the case showing the positioning of the parts as the case is first opened.

Fig. 10 is a perspective method of rolling the package and utilizing ing said package.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates an elongated rectangular shaped section, which section forms the back side of the case. Extending outwardly from the ends of the section 1 are sections 2 which form the ends of the case. Sections 2 and also the section 1, and in fact the entire case with the exception of reinforcing boards hereinafter mentioned, are formed from pliable material. The sections 2 which form view showing the case into a compact the straps for securthe ends of the case are provided with longitudinally disposed pockets 3, in which pockets removable stiffening boards 4 are placed for stiffening the ends of the case.' The ends of the sections 2 are provided with pliable extensions 5, which extensions are inwardly disposed as shown in Fig. 9 when the case is being set up, and form means for preventing entrance of dust adjacent the corners of the case. End sections 2 are also provided with outwardly extending sections 6, which when the case is set up are inwardly disposed as shown in Fig. 9 and engagethe top of the goods or articles within the case.

Preferably integrally formed with the longitudinal sides of the back section 1 are elongated sections 7 and 7*, which sections are reinforced by permanently fixed boards 8, and form the top and bottom of the sultcase. Extending outwardly from the sides, that is the longitudinal sides of the sections 7 and 7 are pliable extensions?) and 9, which extensions when the case is set up form the front of the case, and overlap each other as further shown in Figs. 1 and 2, section 9 referably overlapping section 9, said sections 9 and 9 being secured together by conventional snaps 10. The inner face of the extension 9 is provided with a plurality of pockets 11, in which pockets articles may be placed. After the flaps 5 have been placed inwardly and the boards 4 placed in the ockets 3, extensions 6 are folded inwardly, and the snap sections 12 and 12 are snapped together. When this 1s accomplished, articles may be placed in the case and articles of clothing 1f so desired held under the straps 13. fter this is accomplished, section 9 is folded inwardly and 9 folded on top of 9 and the sections snapped together by the snaps 10.. However, if suffi- .cient clothing is placed within the casing to cause the front side to slightly bulge outwardly, dust may be revented from entering-under the ends 0 the sections 9 and 9 by snapping the male members 14 of extensible pliable sections 15 carried by the outer longitudinal edges and the sections 2 to the female members 15 of the snaps carried adjacent the ends of the sections 9 and 10 forming the front of the suit case. It will be seen that by providing the extensible members 15 that a considerable bulge may be allowed to the front side of the case without admitting dust and dirt to the interior of the/case. Extending around the case and through loops carried by the various sections are straps 16, which straps are adapted to be secured together in such a manner as to brace and hold the case as a whole.

Adjacent the rear side of the top section 7 straps 17 are secured, which straps are provided with snap hooks 18, by means of which hooks the case as a whole may be supported as shown in Fig. 1 or in Fig. 2. The

section 7 is also provided with a conventional form of handle 19 by means of which handle the suit case can be carried from place to place.

From the above it will be seen that a collapsible suitcase is provided, which is simple in construction, and one wherein after the stiffening boards 4 have been removed from the pockets 3 of the ends and said boards have been longitudinally disposed on the section 7 and the ends 2 and extension 6 forwardly inwardly, the case may be rolled into a compact package as shown in Fig. 10 and the straps 16 passed around the package several times and have their ends secured together in such a manner that they will hold the collapsed suit case in a rolled form, thereby allowing the same to be stored in a small space, also allowing the suit case to be easily carried in collapsed form.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is 1. A collapsible suitcase formed from pliable material, the top and bottom of said suitcase being provided with stiffening means, the ends of said suitcase being provided with removable stiffening members thereby allowing the case to be rolled into a compact package.

2. A collapsible suitcase formed from. a rectangular shaped sheet of pliable material, said sheet being provided with a section forming the back of the suitcase, sections adjacent the longitudinal edges of the back section, formingthe top and bottom of the suitcase and provided with stiffening means, sections carried by the sections forming the top and bottom of the suitcase and forming the front of the suitcase, means for securing the sections forming the front of the suitcase together, extensions carried by the ends of the section forming the back of the suitcase, removable stiffening members carried by the sections forming the ends of the suitcase, pliable extensions carried b the ends of the ends of the suitcase, and a apted to be folded inwardly, pliable extensions carried by the outer edges of the sections forming the ends of the suitcase and adapted to be folded inwardly, and pliable extensible members carried adjacent the outer edges of the sections forming the ends of the suitcase and provided with means whereby the sections forming the front of the suitcase may be attached thereto.

3. The combination with a collapsible suitcase formed from pliable material and having stiffened to and bottom sides and overlapping ends orming the front side,

' of end members formed from pliable mateflaps carried by the outer edges of the end members and adapted to be folded inwardly, extensible pliable members carried adjacent the outer ends of the end members, and means whereby said extensible members may be secured to the ends of the overlapped ends forming the front side of the sult case.

4; The combination with a collapsible suit case formed from pliable material and having stifi'ened top and bottom sides and overlapped members forming the front side, of extensions carried by the portion forming the back of the case, said extensions being provided with removable stiffening members and means whereby the ends may 'be secured to the ends of the overlapped members forming the front of the suitcase.

5. The combination with a collapsible suit case formed from pliable material and having a back side, stiffened top and bottom sides and overlapped members forming the front side, of extensions carried by the portion forming the back side, said extensions being provided with pockets, removable stiffening members disposed in said Ipockets and means whereby after the ends ave been folded inwardly said ends may be secured to the body of the case.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

CHARLES A. FETTERS. 

